date

[xxxvi. 174] 1822 Aug. 3. Constitut
[xxxvi. 174]

1822 Aug. 3.

Constitut. Code England

Supreme Operative

Parl. Reform inadequate

As often as /Commonly /In general/ when in periodicals/ the system of corruption is taken for the object /subject/ of invective, the Pitt system is the name given to it. The notion is a natural but an erroneous one: the Gwelf system is a more proper the Royal system a more compleatly proper name for it. As to the Pitt system: this no more the Pitt system than the Fox system: in the place of Pitt, Fox would have acted as Pitt did: in the place of Fox, Pitt would have acted as Fox did. The morality of the Bar is the morality of Office and of the House. When in the mouth of a lawyer, the word duty is heard, and it is heard continually, the duty which is in his mind is the duty of getting money: in which /a duty in which/ is included the duty of doing every thing by which money is to be got. The whole duty of men has furnished matter for a large book: the whole duty of a lawyer may be comprized in one word - his fee. In the flourishing days of the Roman Bar, when Provinces were converted into Estates, Estates were given for Fees. Of this point of practice, English practice it is believed affords an instance and it is believed no more than one; the case of the villa at Mitcham, given by Lord Clive to Wedderburn. On the part of /[...?]/ Cicero /At one time of Cicero's life/ it was matter of boast to him to tell them he had never been on any other than the Defendants side. I /A man/ well might have told him how it happened: the amount of the fees on that side was beyond all bounds: on the other side it was not generally discernible how any thing was to be got. Humanity was the account to which it was his evident /evidently enough/ wish and expectation that this circumstance should be carried to the nations of mankind: not a different /more substantial/ one. When men plead at the Bar, it is for pounds and sovereigns: when in the House, for places those on the right side have /hold/ them in possession: those of the left side in expectancy: in that circumstance lies the greatest, if not the only difference. Had the Inns [...?] Outs, and the Outs Inns, the motives would have been the same, the speeches the same, the numbers the same; the mouths alone /only/ would have been different.
Similar Items
  • Title: [[clx. 401] 1822 Decr 29 Constitut]
    Description: [clx. 401]

    1822 Decr 29

    Constitut. Law

    I Monarchy?

    Publ. Opin. Tribunal

    Sect Democrat Aristocrat

    Aristocr - its adverse influence

    The judgments of the Public Opinion Tribunal are the matter of which the system of morality - the law of morality which is in force /acted upon/ is composed. The law /morality/ of the entire tribunal and which is consequently the of the democratic section is in so far as its own interest is rightly understood by it favorable to the interest of the greater number: the morality of the aristocratic section is favorable to the interests of the ruling and influential few, hostile and pernicious to the interests of the greater number /many/: it is therefore a system of immorality, cloathed in the garb of a system of morality

    In the case of the direct system of /direct/ depredation /in the direct mode/ the members of the aristocratical Section, by means of the power of government in their hands, force /extort/ for their own exclusive emolument, the matter of wealth from the hands of the members of the democratic Section as well as from those of the aristocratic, and by the same measures: the members of the aristocratic having their contributions returned to them with profit, those of the democratic receiving no such return.

    In the case of the indirect system what is done is done not by authority of law given to force, but by exemption and impunity given to fraud: swindling when exercised by Members of this Section for their own benefit, rendered unpunishable by their being exempted from the operation of penal laws to which those of the democratical are kept subjected. In the form in which if at all the depredation must be exercised by the democrat, punishment is made to reach it: in the form in which it is only by the aristocrat that it can be exercised it is exempted from punishment. Thus the benefit derivable from the unpunishable enormity is a premium given by the aristocratic legislators for depredation for their own benefit. They are thereby suborners of, and accomplices in every act of depredation /such swindling/ which in consequence of the encouragement thus given is at any time committed. The estates of those who have concurred in opposing the abolition of this exemption ought to be employed in making good the losses thus produced.
  • Title: [1809 Aug. 1 + 2 Fallacies B. II 1]
    Description: 1809 Aug. 1 + 2

    Fallacies B. II 1 Generalia

    Ch Generalia

    . 1. Classification

    ' 2 Fallacies classed and denominated

    If undertaken to comprize under this enquiry /comprehend within the limits of this essay/ all the arguments or instruments of persuasion to which the appellative of fallacies might be found applicvable would be to grasp at too wide a field. A choice being to be made the best choice that can be made will be acknowledged to be, the ch[...?]ng such as /those which/ in the scale of importance, meaning practical importance, appear to occupy the highest place. Political fallacies is a term /an appellative/ under which by far the most amount in this time[?] will be found comprizable.

    Fallacies of the ins; fallacies of the outs; and Either side (a) fallacies - under one or other of these terms /specific appellatives/ be found familiar to a degree of triviality they will not be the less intelligible If to these concise appellatives it be /there be any reader to whom it will/ more agreeable to substitute for his own use long-winded ones, he has the author's free leave for it.

    Of this division it were to much to undertake to present the component members as being in so perfect a degree distinct and opposite as to render the division capable of abiding that logical test of a good division good in the sense of the logicians which according to the laws laid down by logician every division to entitle itself to the appellative of a good one, ought /must/ to be able to abide. It were rather too much to undertake for, that the fallacies ranked in the class of fallacies of the inns thence[?] shall on no occasion be found applicable to the purposes of the outs: that those[?] [...?] [...?] fallacies of the outs shall in no case be found applicable to the purposes of the inns or that the sides /either side/ fallacies shall at the same time be applicable with exactly equal advantage to the purposes of the ins and to the purposes of the outs, and at the same not applicable to any other than party purposes, on the one side or the other, as above.
  • Title: [1819 March 28 To Erskine 4 II. Whig]
    Description: 1819 March 28

    To Erskine 4 II. Whig Merits[?]

    With the French Revolution came the Revolutionary war. The prospect from Parliamentary Reform was now brightened. It went on with so much spirit, that Charles Fox almost fancied /could fancy/ the Hustings were almost as dear to him as the gaming-table. This continued not /It did not go on/ long. The aristocrats feared that instead of getting places they should lose their seats: their seats and such of them as had titles even their titles. At S\T tT\ Jamess and Saint Stephen's Burke had played his game better than Fox. /Answer Burke said the first Lord Lansdown to [...?] My Lord, I can not: I disagree with him in some things; but I agree with him in others. So much the better, quoth he. I hesitated: but while I was hesitating, other cases pressed upon my time and engrossed it./ Fox cold only speak: Burke could not only speak but write. He made all the cowards in the kingdom quake with fear, all the tyrants foam with rage. Burke got his ,3,000 a year for it. A remnant of the Whigs received a call with him, and were converted. Fox was again left in the lurch. Legitimacy took the place of divine right: the periodicals have ever since been filled with. Passive obedience and non-resistance - for of waste and corruption and hatred of economy and reform has ever since been the creed of all readers who are without understanding, and of all writers who are without shame. As terror spread Fox and his Whigs became alarmed not only for their seats but for their necks. To construe reform into treason would have cost but a few words: and these words Judges always /ever/ have been and always /ever/ will be, ready with. For the edification of such as had estates, corruption of blood had continued. Abbot had lent himself for this service, he had thus earnt his Speakership and of course his Lordship. Corruption of blood your Lordship need not be informed, is a phrase, by the virtue of which /by which/ for the supposed offence of one individual others are punished in countless multitudes.